Fuse socket cleaning tool



C. G. HOYE Feb. 14, 1956 FUSE SOCKET CLEANING TOOL Filed July 26, 1954INVENTOR.

C//HRZFJ 6. HOYE BY United States Patent Ol FUSE SOCKET CLEANING TOOLICharles G. Hoye, Roseville, Mich.

Application July 26, 1954, Serial No. 445,637

4 Claims. (Cl. 51-186) This invention generally relates to a fuse sockettool and particularly pertains to an easily inserted, high pressuredabrasive tool for cleaning the high pressure clip sockets of tubularfuses. A

It is well established in the electrical art that the terminalconnections must be clean, bright, and free from corrosion and foreignmatter so that a metal-to-metal contact is made without an air gaptherebetween to eliminate arcing contact and sparking which actuallyeats away the pieces and also to furnish a good conductor to insureoptimum conductivity. However, it has been found exceedingly difficultto clean the inside walls of the spring sockets due to the fact that itis too dangerous to do so manually, and that the available tools areeither practically impossible to get into the sockets or completelyunsatisfactory.

To this end, several devices have been developed in the prior art toclean the spring-clip type tubular fuse sockets, however, the devices ofthe prior art have been found unsatisfactory due to the fact that thespring clips are very strong and resist the insertion of a proper socketsize and shape cleaning tool. Smaller than socket size tools are, ofcourse, easily inserted, but are too small to do the job properly.

With the foregoing in view, the primary object of the invention is toprovide a tubular-fuse clip-socket cleaning too which is easily insertedand extracted and which is capable of extending a high pressurefrictional engagement with the sockets in its working or cleaninglposition.

An object of the invention is to provide a tubular fuse socket cleaningtool which is simple in design and construction, inexpensive tomanufacture, easy to use, and easy to remove without the user exertingeither insertion or extraction forces to place the tool in the socket orremove the tool from the sockets.

An object of the invention is to provide a fuse-socket cleaning tool ofwood which can be manufactured less expensively as the component partsare easily made and the assembly of the parts in general is easily andreadily accomplished.

An object of the invention is Vto provide a fuse-socket cleaning toolwhich can be operated with ease by a professional electrician or anamateur with equal facility.

An object of the invention is to provide a fuse-socket cleaning toolwhich can be provided in a set of all sizes at extremely moderate costso that the professional electrician can have a set of proper sizedtools at his command without a large outlay of capital.

An object of the invention is to provide a fuse-socket cleaning toolwhich easily enters the clip opening and easily removes from the clipitself without the exertion of deforming pressures on the clip.

An object of the invention is to provide a fuse-socket cleaning toolwhich has a narrow side or portion for entering the opening of thespring clip without the exertion of force.

An object of the invention is to provide a fuse-socket cleaning toolwhich has a wide side or portion which can 2,734,320 Patented Feb. 14,1956 ice be cammed into frictional high-pressure engagement with theinside walls of the clip socket so that the interior of the clip wallscan be scoured under high pressure.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent byreference to the following description of a tubular-fuse-socket cleaningtool embodying the invention taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the tool which shows the respective wideand narrow portions of the socket engaging ends thereof.

Fig. 2 is an end elevational View of the tool inserted in a spring-clipsocket prior to camming the wide side of the tool into engagement withthe inside clip walls.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the wide portion of vthe toolcammed into high frictional engagement with the clip inside walls.

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 3 taken on line 4-4 thereof;and

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view partly in cross-section of a pair ofclip sockets with the inventive tool inserted therein such as taken onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like numerals refer to like andcorresponding parts throughout the several views, the tubulartfusesocket cleaning tool disclosed therein to illustrate the inventioncomprises a head portion 10, handle 11 extending from the head portion10, and like fuse socket contacting two dimension ends 12 on either endofthe head 10.

The device comprises the head 10, the middle body portion 13 which maybe of any desired shape, but which is shown to be cylindrical in thedrawings and the like end portions 12 on either end of the body portion13 for contacting the paired fuse sockets as hereinafter more fullydescribed.

The end portions 12 are substantially rectangular with the narrowdimension of the rectangular end being easily insertable into theopening of the socket and the wide portion of the rectangular end beingso adapted as to be substantially equal or larger than the diameter ofthe fuse normally inserted in the clip.

More particularly, the preferred embodiment as shown in the drawingcomprises of wooden head 10 adapted to lie in the sockets 20 and 21 andhaving a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the fuseferrules, not shown, normally frictionally received in the sockets 20and 21, with the head ends 12 having like reduced areas 12A and 12B sothat the head ends 12 have a reduced cross-sectional dimension along onediameter less than the normal dimension of the receiving opening of theclips to be cleaned by the tool so that the tool can be readily,non-frictionally received in, and extracted from the sockets without thenecessity of forcing the tool into and out of the sockets against thespring torsion of the clips.

Abrasive material, such as the emery-paper strips 14 covers the reducedareas or tips 12 especially at the ends of the long axis L-L of theends. However, it has been found preferable to wrap the entire ends 12with a strip of emery paper and to stitch same in place with a wirestaple so that when the strip is worn out, it can easily be replaced.

The fuse sockets, such as shown at 20 and 21 are made of very strongspring stock and are generally spring loaded such as by the auxiliarysprings 22 and 23 so that when the fuse is in place, a firmmetal-to-metal contact is insured. However, in spite of the fact thatthe fuse ferrules are smooth, a great deal of force is necessary toinsert them in and extract them from the clips due to the fact that thenarrow receiving opening must be spread to the full diameter of the fuseto permit entry and removal of the fuse and the smooth slidingrelationship between the fuse ferrule is relied upon to accomplish same.

ln view of the above, it can be appreciated that if the instant abrasivecovered tool did not have reduced areas for entry and extraction, itwould be practically impossible to get the tool in and out of thesockets as no smooth sliding relationship exists, but rather as highfriction abrasive relationship is present.

ln operation, the user takes the tool by the handle 11 and holds thehead 10 so that the reduced areas 12A and 12B will bypass the ends ofthe clips and the user then inserts the tool relative to the clips asseen in Fig. 2. The user then moves the handle 11 from the position seenin Fig. 2 to that o f Fig. 3 whereby, the long axis LL of the head ends12 are canimed into a forceful frictional engagement with the interiorwalls of the sockets. By repeated movement of the handle 11 through anare such as from the position as seen in Fig. 2 past the position seenin Fig. 3, the lciii'gv axis L-L' of the head faces or ends 12 rub theabrasive material 14 across the inside walls of the sockets 2% and 21 toeffectively and efficiently scour and 'clean same.

In addition to tne size of the tool shown and the spacing of thesockets, it is understood that various sizes of fuses take various sizedfuse sockets and that the spacing between and ythe sizes of 'the'sockets are accordingly adjusted. With the facts in view, it is apurpose of the invention to supply a very inexpensive wood tool whichcan easily be equipped with the abrasive paper covered ends or emerypaper c'o'vered ends so that a set of tools can be supplied a workman'at a very low cost whereby he can have a tool of the correct size andspacing for each of the various size sockets which he encounters duringhis w'ork day.

The tool or set of tools with the features disclosed, constitutes acompact, durable, neat, and inexpensive tool or set easily operated toinsert and extract from the sockets and easily repaired by removing theabrasive strips and replacing same. It is to be also seen that no strainor force is exerted on the fuse clips by the tool itself such as wheninserting or extracting the tool from the clips.

Although but a single embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail, it is obvious that many changes can be made in thesize, shape, detail and arrangements of the various elements of theinvention in the scope of the appended claims. For example, the head 10can be reduced on only one side thereof rather than on two sides asshown. lt is also within the purview of the invention to provide asubstantially rectangular head throughout or a cylindrical centerportion and reduced rectangular end portions for the device.

l claim:

l. A cleaning tool for a fuse socket of the paired springclip typehaving a narrow expandable opening for receiving a fuse therethroughcomprising a handle, a head on said handle at a right angle thereto,substantially rectangular ends on said head on either side of saidhandle having a narrow cross-sectional radial dimension less than thewidth of the opening of the clip to be entered so as to be readilyreceivable within the clip 'and a wide cross-sec tional radial dimensionsubstantially greater than the width of the clip opening andsubstantially equal to the diameter of the fuse normally receivable inthe socket and abrasive material on said end at least at the faces ofthe long radial dimension; said handle constituting a safety extensionand a lever for turning said head so as to carn said long dimensionfaces of said end into forceful frictional engagement with the interiorof the socket against the spring torsion of the sockets.

2. A cleaning tool for paired fuse sockets of the spring clip typehaving a narrow expandable opening for forceably receiving and clampinga tubular fuse therein, comprising a head portion adaptable to liebetween the paired spring clip sockets, like paired ends substantiallyrectangular in cross section on said head adapted to lie within said lpaired sockets; said ends each having a narrow crosssectional dimensionadapted to be readily received through the narrow opening of the socketswithout force or friction and a wide cross-sectional dimensionsubstantially greater than the clip openings and substantially equal tothe diameter of a fuse normally receivable in the sockets, abrasivematerial on the rectangular ends at least across the narrow edgesthereof, and a handle on said head for turning said head so as 'to camthe long dimension of said ends into frictional engagement with theinterior of the socket walls against the spring torsion of the clipsocket s o as to frictionally engage said abrasive material with theinside walls of said sockets.

3. A cleaning tool for a spring fuse socket having a relatively narrowforce-expandable opening for receiving a fuse ferrule therein,comprising a head having a diameter substantially equal to the fuseferrule normally frictionally received in the socket, ends on said headof a cr0sssectional radial dimension less than the receiving opening ofthe clip to be cleaned so as to be readily non-frictionally receivabletherethrough, abrasive material on the surface at the faces of the longradial axis of said head end, and a handle on said head intermediatesaid ends; said head being adapted to be rotated by said handle so as tocam said abrasive covered long radial axis face portions of said headends into forceful frictional engagement with the interior of the socketagainst the resistance of the clip.

4. A cleaning tool for paired fuse sockets of the spring clip typehaving a normal narrow, force expanding opening for forceably receivingand clamping a tubular fuse therein, comprising a head adapted to lie inand between the sockets, tips on said head having a short radial axisdimension substantially equal to the receiving opening of the clips tobe cleaned so as to be readily receivable and extractable therethroughand a long radial axis dimension substantially equal to the diameter ofthe fuse ferrule receivable therein, abrasive material on the surface ofsaid head tips at least at the ends of said long radial axis, and ahandle on said head; said head being adapted to be rotated by saidhandle so as to cam said abrasive covered tip prtions into frictionalengagement with the interior of the socket against the resistance of thespring clips.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS289,879 Almond Dec. l1, 18.83 1,252,964 Stafford Jan. 8, v1918 2,411,724Hill Nov. 26, 1946 2,471,236 Parker May 24, 1949

